Steve Waggott says Rovers have gone over their budgeted target for season ticket sales.

Sales are pushing towards the 8,000 mark, bringing in a gross revenue of around £2.25m.

The club’s chief executive reported 11 per cent of those tickets were new sales, though around 1,000 supporters hadn’t renewed from last season.

Last season the club sold around 7,000 season tickets, that figure boosted by half season ticket sales in excess of 1,000.

Other offers across the season took them to an overall figure of around 8,500. That was the same number sold in the 2019/20 season.

It follows the club’s decision to price season tickets at £399 for fans looking to renew in the lower bowl of the stadium.

At a recent fans’ forum meeting, Waggott revealed that an extra 1,000 season tickets had been sold following the club’s decision to extend the deadline beyond the initial cut-off of June 4 in line with the appointment of Jon Dahl Tomasson as head coach.

In the meeting, Waggott said he was ‘very conscious of the socio-economic situation in Blackburn with Darwen’ but that it ‘was essential for the club to maximise income in order to counteract the difficulties caused by rising costs right across the business’.

Last month, Rovers announced Totally Wicked as their principal sponsor on a one-year contract after the agreement with Recoverite Compression ended in January.

Waggott said: “Given that the club had made the decision not to accept sponsorship from gambling or alcohol companies this represented a good deal.”

The club’s chief executive was asked about the departures of Darragh Lenihan, Joe Rothwell and Ryan Nyambe on free transfers.

Waggott said the club had made offers ‘at the maximum they could afford’ but they all opted for pastures new.

He said that Nyambe and his representative had spoken with new head coach Tomasson but that terms could not be agreed prior to him signing with Wigan Athletic.

On the topic of contracts, Waggott said the club remained in discussions with the agent of Ash Phillips about him signing professional terms with the club.

Waggott hoped the opportunity for ‘early and regular first-team football’ would work in Rovers’ favour and help fend-off interest from Premier League clubs.

In terms of incomings, Waggott said it could take until the end of the window for Rovers to complete their business.

Speaking ahead of the signing of Callum Brittain, Waggott said the club ‘probably needed to sign four or five new players in the current transfer window’.

For more information about season ticket sales, or for the opening day of the season against QPR, visit the club website.

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